Device comprising a porous, cellular or fibrous element which is fixed to a support

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a device, in particular for applying and/or packaging a cosmetic, the device comprising a porous, cellular, or fibrous element fastened on a support, the element being bonded to the support at least by penetration of the material of a projection ( 10 ) of the support into the pores, the cells, or between the fibers of the element.

The present invention relates to the field of devices comprising a porous, cellular, or fibrous element fastened on a support, and in particular devices for applying and/or packaging a cosmetic.

It is known, in particular from FR 2 774 296, to fasten a block of foam on a receptacle by adhesive or by heat sealing.

There exists a need to improve the fastening of a porous, cellular, or fibrous element on a support.

In a first of its aspects, the invention thus provides a method of fastening a porous, cellular, or fibrous element on a support, the method being characterizable by the fact that, for a support including at least one projection, it comprises the steps consisting in causing the material of said projection to melt at least in part and enabling the material to penetrate into the pores or the cells or between the fibers of the element.

The anchoring of the support material in the pores or the cells or between the fibers of the element that is to be fastened on the support serves, after cooling, to reinforce mechanical strength.

In addition, manufacture can be simplified since the element can be fastened to the support without using adhesive, for example.

When the foam has been subjected to treatment, e.g. incorporating one or more biocidal compounds, the absence of fastening by adhesive can serve to avoid possible problems of compatibility between the adhesive and the compound(s) contained in the foam.

By way of example, the element may be selected from foams with cells that are open or semi-open, woven fabrics, non-woven fabrics, sintered pieces, felts, grids, or any combination of these materials.

The material of the projection may be heated by any means, remotely or by contact, the element for being fastened being optionally in contact therewith. Energy may be supplied by ultrasound, by induction, by convection, by conduction, or by radiation, for example.

The projection of the support may be made out of a thermoplastic material, for example selected from polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), SAM, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polypropylene (PP), acetal resin, or a thermoplastic elastomer such as, for example, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), plasticized PVC, Hytrel®, Pebax®, styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS), Santoprene®, Accryl®.

The element may be applied against the support after at least partial melting of the projection.

Pressure may be exerted on the element against the projection of the support so as to enable the material thereof to penetrate into the pores or the cells or between the fibers of the element.

The projection may be heated by means of a heater tool, the tool may then be removed, and the porous, cellular, or fibrous element may be brought into contact with the projection.

By way of example, a tool may be used that is raised to a temperature lying in the range 80° C. to 600° C., e.g. a temperature higher than 400° C., when the material of the projection is polypropylene or polyethylene.

The tool may be heated to a temperature that is sufficiently high to ensure that the material of the projection does not stick significantly to the heater tool.

In another of its aspects, the invention also provides a device, in particular for applying and/or packaging a cosmetic, the device comprising a porous, cellular, or fibrous element fastened on a support.

In accordance with the invention, the element may be bonded to the support at least by penetration of the material of a projection of the support into the pores or the cells or between the fibers of the element.

At least before being assembled with the element, the projection of the support may present a right section that is triangular, rectangular, trapezoidal, or rounded at least in part.

By way of example, the projection of the support may be in the form of an optionally circular annular rib that is continuous or discontinuous.

The support may include at least two projections. By way of example, these projections may be concentric.

The element may be fastened to the support peripherally and/or in a central region.

The element may cover two portions of the support that are at an angle to,each other, e.g. a right angle, each including at least one projection.

The element may be configured to serve as an applicator member, a screen, a filter, an applicator tip, a wiper, or a flow reducer, this list not being limiting.

The support may constitute a closure member for a receptacle and may include at least one sealing lip.

The support may also be configured to serve as a handle member.

The device may include a duct for feeding substance to the element, and the substance may pass through the element prior to or during use.

The material of the projection may be different from the material of a portion of the support to which the projection is connected.

The invention can be better understood on reading the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments and on examining the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic fragmentary axial section view of an embodiment of a device made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic fragmentary front view on a larger scale showing a detail of the support;

FIG. 3 is a section on III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows material of the support penetrating into the structure of the element;

FIGS. 5 to 9 are cross-sections showing variant projections;

FIGS. 10 and 11 are plan views of other examples of projections;

FIG. 12 is a section on XII-XII of FIG. 11;

FIGS. 13 to 16 are diagrammatic and sometimes fragmentary views of other examples of devices made in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 17 shows an element fastened in such a manner as to cover a wall of a support that forms an angle;

FIGS. 18 to 22 are diagrams showing other examples of devices; and

FIG. 23 shows a support being heated while the foam is in contact therewith.

FIG. 1 shows an example of an applicator device 1 comprising a support 2 and an applicator member 3 fastened thereon.

By way of example, the device 1 serves to apply a powder or a liquid taken from a receptacle (not shown)

The support 2 comprises a wall 4 generally in the form of a dome with a flat top, and connected to a base portion 5 provided with a skirt 6 enabling the support 2 to be fastened on the receptacle, and with a sealing lip 7 for pressing in leaktight manner against a bearing surface of the receptacle when it is closed.

The applicator member 3 is fastened to the wall 4.

In the example shown, it is constituted by a cellular element, e.g. an elastically-deformable foam.

To improve fastening of the applicator member 3 on the support 2, at least one projection 10 is initially provided on the support.

Prior to fastening the applicator member 3 on the support 2, this projection 10 presents, by way of example, the shape of an annular rib of triangular right section whose base is connected to the wall 4, as can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. The projection 10 can be made out of the same material as the wall 4, e.g. by molding, however it could also be made out of some other material, as shown in FIG. 9. In this figure it can be seen that the projection 10 can be made of a material different from the material constituting the wall 4.

In FIG. 1, the projection 10 is shown as having substantially the same profile as before assembly of the applicator member 3 on the support 2 in order to make the invention easier to understand, however the shape of the projection 10 after assembly with the applicator member may vary to a very great extent, and the projection 10 may have disappeared at least in part once the applicator member 3 has been fastened on the support 2.

In order to assemble the applicator member 3 with the support 2, the projection 10 is caused to melt locally at least in part so that the material constituting it becomes fluid and can penetrate into the cells of the foam placed in contact therewith, as shown very diagrammatically in FIG. 4.

The projection can be caused to melt by means of a heater tool raised to a relatively high temperature prior to the element being put into place, with the tool then being withdrawn and the element applied against the projection that has been made fluid.

When the material of the projection 10 is polypropylene or polyethylene, for example, the surface temperature of the tool may be about 450° C., for example, such that filaments of plastics material are not formed when the tool is withdrawn, which filaments could be troublesome while the element is being into place.

Prior to being assembled with the element, the projection 10 may have a very wide variety of shapes, as described below with reference to FIGS. 5 to 12.

In particular, the projection may be given an asymmetrical right triangular section, e.g. having one side substantially perpendicular to the support, as shown in FIG. 5.

The projection 10 may also present a right section that is substantially rectangular, as shown in FIG. 6, or trapezoidal as shown in FIG. 7, or oblong with a rounded free end as shown in FIG. 8.

The projection 10 may be of a form other than a continuous circular rib.

By way of example, FIG. 10 shows a projection 10 in the form of a discontinuous annular rib having a plurality of disjoint segments 10 a.

By way of example, the support may also include more than one projection, e.g. two concentric projections 10 as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12.

The invention applies to assembling a very wide variety of porous, fibrous, or cellular elements on supports that themselves may likewise be very varied.

Various applicator devices amongst others are shown in FIGS. 13 to 16.

The device 15 shown in FIG. 13 comprises a handle 16 provided with a head 17 acting as a support for an applicator member 18 constituted by a block of fibrous or cellular material cantilevered out from one of the faces of the head 17, being fastened by local melting of the material of at least one projection 10, in the same manner as in the example described above.

In the example of FIG. 1, the applicator member 3 presents a peripheral portion that is free, being fastened in its central portion substantially to the top of the wall 4. Naturally, the applicator member may be fastened differently to the support, e.g. at one or more points close to its periphery, as shown in FIG. 14. The device 20 shown in this figure includes an applicator member 21 constituted, for example, by a block of foam. The block of foam has a face 21 a fastened against a substantially plane corresponding face of a support 22 that also acts as a handle member and that has at least one projection 10 projecting therefrom. The projection is in the form of an annular rib, for example, having a diameter that is slightly smaller than the greatest diameter of the applicator member 11.

The device 24 shown in FIG. 15 differs from that shown in FIG. 13 by the fact that the applicator member 21 is hollowed out internally.

In the examples of FIGS. 1 and 13 to 15, the applicator member is loaded with substance by being brought into contact with the substance via an outside face.

It would not go beyond the ambit of the present invention for the applicator member to be secured to the receptacle and be fed with substance via an inside face, for example.

By way of illustration, FIG. 16 shows a portion of a device 26 comprising an applicator member 27 constituted, for example, by a felt tip or by a sintered tip fastened in a housing 29 having a duct 28 for feeding substance opening out into the bottom thereof.

The bottom of the housing 29 is provided with at least one projection 10, at least prior to the applicator member 27 being fastened.

Projections 10 may be made on a plurality of faces of the support, for example for the purpose of fastening a porous, fibrous, or cellular element thereto so as to cover a rounded wall 30 as shown in FIG. 17. This figure shows that the wall of the support comprises two portions 30 a and 30 b at an angle to each other, each of which has at least one projection 10 formed thereon. By way of example, these projections are in the form of annular or rectilinear ribs or portions of annular or rectilinear ribs.

The porous, fibrous, or cellular element may also be used as a screen or filter.

By way of example, FIG. 18 shows a device 40 in which the porous, fibrous, or cellular element is constituted by a sheet 14 of material that is permeable to the substance, being fastened at its periphery to a ring 42 for fastening to the neck of a receptacle, for example. The ring 42 includes a skirt 43 provided at its end with an annular bead for snap-fastening onto the receptacle, and also including an annular transverse wall 44 having a projection 10 projecting therefrom, at least is prior to assembly of the sheet 41 on the ring 42, which projection 10 is constituted, for example, by an annular rib projecting in the same direction as the skirt 43.

FIG. 19 shows a device 50 in which the support comprises, by way of example, a wall 51 that is generally dome-shaped, being provided with a central opening 52, and the porous, cellular, or fibrous element is constituted by a sheet 54 that is permeable to the substance, e.g. a non-woven fabric, and that is fitted onto the outside surface of the wall 51. The wall 51 includes at least one projection 10, e.g. two concentric projections 10 in the example shown.

FIG. 20 shows a screen 60 for placing inside a receptacle. This screen 60 comprises an annular support 61, e.g. of rectangular right section, having a front face 61 a provided with a projection 10, e.g. in the form of an annular rib, with a porous, cellular, or fibrous element being fastened thereon, said element being constituted, for example, by a woven fabric 62 or by a fine-mesh grid of plastics material.

The porous, fibrous, or cellular element may also serve as a wiper member, as shown in FIG. 21.

This figure shows a device 70 comprising a wiper member 71 constituted by a block of foam fastened via its top face against an inside shoulder 72 of a receptacle, which shoulder is provided with at least one projection 10, e.g. in the form of an annular rib. The wiper member 71 has a slot passing through it, which slot is closed at rest and serves to wipe an applicator member 75 while it is being withdrawn from the receptacle. A device including a wiper member comprising a foam is described in French patent application FR 2 774 296.

Without going beyond the ambit of the present invention, the porous, cellular, or fibrous element may also serve as a flow reducer.

By way of example, FIG. 22 shows a device 80 comprising a receptacle 81 whose neck is provided with a flow reducer 82 comprising a block 85 of cellular material, e.g. a foam, which is fastened to a support 83 engaged in the neck of the receptacle 81. The top portion of the support 83 comprises a wall 84 which is provided, at least prior to assembly with the block 85, with a projection 10. The block 85 may be slotted with the slot(s) being closed at rest.

FIG. 23 shows a porous, fibrous, or cellular element 100 being fastened on a support 101. This figure shows that the projection 10 can be heated while the element 100 is already in contact therewith.

In the example shown, the projection is hollow, and the heater tool 90 can be disposed on the side opposite from the element 100, being engaged inside the support 101, for example. By way of example, the tool 90 may comprise a member 92 configured to engage at least in part inside the projection 10 so as to raise its temperature. Contact between the member 92 and the projection 10 is optional.

All or some of the characteristics of the various embodiments described above can be combined without going beyond the ambit of the present invention.

Throughout the description, including in the claims, the term “comprising a” should be understood as being synonymous with “comprising at least one” unless specified to the contrary. 

1-29. (canceled)
 30. A device, which comprises: a porous, cellular, or fibrous element fastened on a support; wherein the element is bonded to the support at least by penetration of the material of a projection of the support into the pores, the cells, or between the fibers of the element.
 31. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element comprises a foam with cells that are open or semi-open.
 32. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element comprises a woven or a non-woven fabric.
 33. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element comprises a felt or a sintered piece.
 34. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element comprises a grid.
 35. A device according to claim 30, wherein the support comprises a thermoplastic material.
 36. A device according to claim 30, wherein the support comprises thermoplastic material which is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyamide, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, polypropylene, styrene maleic anhydride, polymeth(meth)acrylate, and acetal resin.
 37. A device according to claim 35, wherein the support comprises a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate, plasticized polyvinylchloride, styrene isoprene styrene, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, HYTREL, PEBAX, and SANTOPRENE.
 38. A device according to claim 35, wherein the support comprises a thermoplastic elastomer selected from the group consisting of ethylene vinyl acetate, plasticized polyvinylchloride, styrene isoprene styrene, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene, a polyester, a polyether-block co-polyamide polymer, and a cross-linked thermoplastic elastomer.
 39. A device according to claim 30, wherein the projection of the support presents a right section that is triangular, rectangular, trapezoidal, or rounded at least in part.
 40. A device according to claim 30, wherein the projection of the support is in the form of an annular rib that is circular or not circular, continuous, or discontinuous.
 41. A device according to claim 30, wherein the support comprises at least two projections.
 42. A device according to claim 30, wherein the support comprises at least two concentric projections.
 43. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element is fastened peripherally to the support.
 44. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element is fastened in a central region of the support.
 45. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element covers two portions of the support that form an angle relative to each other, wherein each portion comprises at least one projection.
 46. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element covers two portions of the support that form a right angle relative to each other, wherein each portion comprises at least one projection.
 47. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element is configured to serve as an applicator member.
 48. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element is configured to serve as a screen.
 49. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element is configured to serve as a filter.
 50. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element is configured to serve as an applicator tip.
 51. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element is configured to serve as a wiper.
 52. A device according to claim 30, wherein the element is configured to serve as a flow reducer.
 53. A device according to claim 47, wherein the support comprises at least one sealing lip.
 54. A device according to claim 47, wherein the support is configured to serve as a handle member.
 55. A device according to claim 47, which further comprises a duct for feeding a substance to the element.
 56. A device according to claim 50, which further comprises a duct for feeding a substance to the element.
 57. A device according 30, wherein the material of the projection is different from the material of a portion of the support to which it is connected.
 58. A method of fastening a porous, cellular, or fibrous element on a support, of an applicator and/or packaging device for a substance, comprising at least one projection which comprises a material, wherein said method comprises: partially or wholly melting the material, contacting the element to the partially or wholly melted material; wherein said contacting results in the partial or complete penetration of said melted material into the pores, the cells, or between the fibers of the element.
 59. A method according to claim 58, which further comprises: exerting pressure on the element while contacting the element to the partially or wholly melted material.
 60. A method according to claim 58, wherein said melting occurs by means of a heater tool; and said method further comprises: proximally positioning or contacting the heater tool to the material and distally positioning or separating the heater tool from the material.
 61. A method according to claim 59, wherein said melting occurs by means of a heater tool; and said method further comprises: proximally positioning or contacting the heater tool to the material and distally positioning or separating the heater tool from the material.
 62. A method according to claim 58, wherein said melting occurs by means of a heater tool, wherein the heating tool is maintained at a temperature of from 80° C. to 600° C.
 63. A method according to claim 58, wherein said melting occurs by means of a heater tool at a temperature, wherein the heating tool is maintained at a temperature high enough to ensure that the material does not significantly stick to the heater tool.
 64. A method according to claim 63, wherein said melting occurs by means of a heater tool at a temperature; and wherein the temperature of the heater tool is greater than 400° C. when the material is polypropylene or polyethylene. 